Gundam Build Fighters: Arisu in Wonderland
by Admiral Muffin
Summary: Moving Forward spin-off. The life of 22 year old Arisu Wakahisa, slacker extraordinaire and Gunpla enthusiast, suddenly takes a turn for the weird when he inherits his late uncle's dormitory in Kasumoto City. The dorm is run by his bitter step-aunt and all of the tenants are rowdy girls who show him no respect. Is this a lame set-up for a crappy harem story? Who knows?
1. Chapter 1

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN GUNDAM

**CHAPTER ONE**

**"THIS PLACE DOESN'T NEED YOU."**

Kasumoto City.

A humble port town located right next to the beautiful metropolitan capital known as Kobe.

It was originally a flourishing agricultural city with a few beautiful historical hot springs that lured a good amount of tourists from Tokyo and other big time cities, but it was hit pretty badly during the Great Hanshin Earthquake and it never really recovered until the second Gunpla boom. Hoping to capitalize on the recent Gunpla Battle craze that took the world by storm and boost the dwindling economy and population, the officials of Kasumoto City, including the mayor, struck a risky deal with the newly-established Plavsky Particle System Engineering or the PPSE Company. Chairman Mashita, or at least his pretty blonde secretary, has given promise and hope to help the struggling city get back on its feet.

(AN: The Great Hanshin Earthquake was a 7.2 magnitude earthquake that struck the southern part of the Hyogo Prefecture in 1995, leaving more than 5000 people dead. Kobe City was the most affected.)

Almost a decade later after the deal, half of Kasumoto City is now owned and run by PPSE and is currently striving to become the central Gunpla Hub of the Kansai region by extensively promoting and advertising PPSE Gunpla-related materials and products to tourists and Gunpla enthusiasts. The city is even hosting a few Gunpla Battle tournaments with numerous sponsors and foreign backings and that brings in a crapload of people and a crapload of people brings in a crapload of income and a crapload of income brings in a crapload of development and so on. These tournaments are usually treated like national holidays or something. It's almost hilarious and ridiculous if you think about it.

Slowly but surely, Kasumoto City is recovering its former glory as more and more Gunpla Fighters and Builders from various regions of Japan and even other countries move in to settle. There are even plans to build a Gunpla learning institute that will rival the official Gunpla Academy one day, but that's still a little far into the future and it's kinda somewhat a pipe dream to some skeptic individuals.

Of course, not everything is all happiness, sunshine, rainbows and puppies. This success story has a dark side and it's slowly becoming a big problem for the city's populace. Several of the city's youth cliques and criminal organization have begun to use Gunpla Battle as a means to settle territorial disputes and illegal control of Gunpla products. Several international Gunpla Mafia organizations are rumored to be involved and the city's authorities have refused to comment. It seems they rather just ignore the issue and not make a big stink about it in fear of losing face and profits. Typical.

All in all, I think it's safe to say that Gunpla is now Kasumoto City's main lifeline. For better or worse.

Oh and who the heck am I?

My name is Wakahisa Arisu and I'm just some 22 year old slacker who had just inherited a freaking dormitory here in Kasumoto City.

Oh and you think I have a weird and girly first name?

Yeah, I admit my first name is kinda weird and girly, and I dunno what my parents were thinking when they gave me that name, but I'm actually kind of proud of it to be honest. Proud to the point that I don't mind wearing a big ass name tag and I also smirk like an idiot every time people give me weird looks when I show them my ID card or something. Yeah. Proud indeed.

You see, Arisu is the Japanese form of the English name, Alice, and it means _Noble _or _High Noble_. I'm not exactly a noble person or someone from nobility or a noble nobility, but I think it's a splendid and refined name so please don't make fun of it or call me girly or Alice or Girly Alice or any insult that has Alice or girly in it or something. I'm no Kamille Bidan and I'll probably won't punch you in the kisser if do you make fun of my name. I'll just probably cry like a bitch and make you feel very, very, very bad about yourself because that's how Wakahisa Arisu rolls. Yeeeeeeah.

Anyhoo!

Yep.

I just inherited a dormitory. I still can't believe it myself and still trying to process the whole thing in my head.

The previous owner was my late uncle, who happens to be my all-time favorite uncle by the way because he was such an awesome guy who let me read uncensored American nudie magazines when I was eight or nine years old, who died in a mysterious car accident last year. Mysterious because it remains unsolved to this day and there were no witnesses or suspects. The cops, the useless asshats that they are, still got no single freaking clue and can only provide nothing but their deepest and sincerest regrets. This totally screams foul play to me, but it can't be helped I guess. My uncle was a bit of an arrogant asshole and he had many enemies so I guess this was kinda inevitable and expected as much I hate to accept it.

My uncle was a great man even if he was such a dick most of the time. He was reckless, stubborn, arrogant, selfish and just plain crazy sometimes. But he was also open-minded, adventurous, passionate and probably the most patient guy I had the pleasure of knowing. He was also a big Gundam nut and he was reason why I'm so into Gunpla right now.

So yeah…

I'm really gonna miss you, Uncle Souma.

But why in Gihren Zabi's blooming armpits did you make me the only heir and successor to your freaking dormitory here in the ass end of Kansai!? I don't even have the right to protest according to your will. How is that even possible!? We haven't seen each other for, like what, seven years until your untimely and unfortunate demise and suddenly I'm the new caretaker of the place that is considered your only source of income!? Why? Why me!? Did you trick me or something? Why can't you let one of younger siblings or-

Oh right. I forgot you drunkenly swore not to speak with them anymore after your second marriage and considered them the worst family ever. Yeeeesh.

You see, my Uncle Souma has cut all ties with his family after he divorced his nagging and bitchy wife and married someone who is, like, twenty years younger than him here in Kasumoto City. I really don't know the full story to be honest, but I know it cause quite a ruckus and nearly tore the Wakahisa family apart. This new young wife, this new step-aunt of mine, was still in high school when she and my uncle got together and my grandparents and uncles and aunts nearly lost their marbles after experiencing such insolent defiance and shame. My grandparents are the old-fashioned and traditionalist types so scandalous things like having a teenage girl for a mistress can be a little hazardous to their health and reputation. The name of my uncle immediately became taboo after that and you get a nice good whack on the behind if you uttered his name just once. You couldn't even get away with a whisper. Yeah that's how bad the situation was back then, but I think they kinda mellowed out now that Uncle Souma is dead because you can now mention his name for, like, three or four times before getting the butt whacking instead of once. So yay.

Anyway, back to me suddenly inheriting his dormitory. So why me? Uncle Souma, why the hell did you choose me as your successor?

Okay, I get that his family are out of the list, but why the hell did he choose an unmotivated slacker me? I haven't had any contact with him for years and to be honest, I kinda forgot about him and just went on with my life. Is it because I was the only nephew who still respected him after the shit he pulled? Is it because we both love Gundam and both collect Gunpla? Is it because I was the only person he regarded as the closest thing to a son since he's childless and all? Yeah. He didn't have any kids. The first wife was infertile I think and I dunno about the second one. So why me? Why me? Why!?

"Why meeeeee!?" I screamed at the top of my lungs while standing in front of my future home and place of work. I dropped my backpack and started flailing my arms like a child throwing a bitter tantrum because Mommy didn't buy me a new toy or a game. "This is just frigging ridiculous! I shouldn't be here! I don't wanna be here! I don't care about Kobe beef or the Arima hot springs, Mom! I don't care! I don't really, really care! I rather stay at home and watch anime or fix my Gunpla or play that new Calamity Princess game that just got released yesterday and aaaaaaaaargh!" I picked up my dusty backpack after five minutes of deep breathing to help calm myself and slung it back on my shoulders. My body was covered in sweat after almost a whole day of walking and searching and my throat feels really dry. "Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! Daaaaaamn it! Daaaaaaaaaaaa...uh…okaaay I feel better now." I covered my face with both of my hands and massaged my forehead. "Shit." I cursed softly and then spat.

(AN: Arima hot springs is a famous hot springs in Kobe.)

It was still pretty early when I got off the train near Kobe, but I got lost when I was looking for this blasted place and it was already sunset when I finally found it. I was at least expecting a nice warm welcome, but there was not a soul in sight when I arrived. I mean that's just plain rude, man. Are they not expecting me? Do they even know I'm coming? Do they even know I'm coming to take over this place and do an awesome and stupendous job of fucking things up because I'm the best slacker ever? Do…uh…this place…uh…this place is not abandoned, is it? My step-aunt didn't just up and left after the funeral, right? I guess it'll be good news for my family if my step-aunt did leave.

"Who the fuck are you?" Someone suddenly said from behind while I was busy admiring the drab scenery and deciding if I should just get the fuck out of there and stay at a hotel or something or maybe just camp out near the river since I don't have much cash on me and I quickly turned around to see a beautiful young woman with long brown hair glaring at me. She was carrying a big plastic bag full of groceries with her right hand and her left hand was clutching her left hip like a disappointed mother after catching her son doing something naughty and inappropriate.

"I…uh…oh…uh…well…" I completely fumbled my words and her glaring intensified. Shit.

"I'm gonna ask you again, asshole." She clenched her jaw and titled her head sideways. "Who the fuck are you?" Her voice was so venomous that I nearly shuddered.

"I'm no one! I'm no one suspicious, ma'am!" I held up a hand and took a step back.

"Uh…huh." She was unconvinced and I can't blame her. I'm not exactly doing a great job here and not to mention I was screaming like a maniac a few seconds ago.

"Are you a pervert?" She asked. Ugh. That was pretty blunt of her.

"What!? Nooooooo!" I violently shook my head.

"You're not staking this place out, are you? You're not after Mayumi or Konoe, are you?"

"I…I don't even know those people!"

"I'm calling the cops." She smiled and pulled out a smartphone with her left hand. "Just stay right there. If you're planning to run then I'm gonna fucking castrate you."

"No, no, no, no, no! Please don't call the cops and please don't castrate me!" I slowly and cautiously walked over to her.

"Touch me and I'm going to break every bone in your body." She growled.

"I'm…not gonna touch you and…wait, wait, waaaaaaaaaaaait." I then stood up straight after finally realizing who she was and pushed my glasses up the bridge of my nose while smirking proudly.

"What…" She slowly lowered her smartphone. "What's with that creepy smile?"

"Heh." I continued smirking and I could tell she was getting nervous, but I didn't care. "It's you, isn't it? You're my aunt, right? My step-aunt?"

"You're…" Her eyes went wide, but she remained on guard. Wowzers. This is just…awkward. Just really, really awkward. "Wait…you're…

"Yep." I nodded my head. "It's me! Wakahisa Arisu! Your nephew or step-nephew or something. You're…Shion-san, right? Aunt Shion?"

"Yes." She confirmed and finally pocketed her smartphone after heaving a sigh of relief.

"Oh good." I smiled. "It's me, Aunt Shion. Your nephew! I'm finally here and it's good to finally meet you and all." I offered my hand, but she didn't take it and continued glaring.

"Leave." She said sharply.

"Excuse me?" Did I hear that right? Did she just tell me to leave? Is she still suspicious?

"I said leave!" She raised her voice.

"H-H-Huuuuuh!? You want me to leave!?"

"Yes." She rolled those beautiful green eyes. "Out! Skidaddle! Get the fuck out of here!"

"But why?"

"Because I don't want you here!"

Okaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay! This is…unexpected.

"You know I can't do that." I said softly. "I'm supposed to run this place now. I'm the new landlord." I jerked my thumb towards the dormitory while smiling bitterly. "Plus the lawyer said that you-

"Fuck that guy. That dickwad forced me to say yes and not to mention your pushy parents. Look, I don't need you here. I can run this place fine. This place doesn't need you." She quickly walked over to me and poked my chest. "You have to kill me first before you bastards can get this place. This is Souma's home. OUR home. I'm going to protect this place with my life so you run back to Tokyo or something and tell that old hag that she can go fuck herself and die. I know Souma likes you and all, but I can't trust you. I don't really give a fuck about the will so kindly fuck off, kiddo." She pinched my right cheek and poked my chest again. "Leave or I'll really call the cops. Next time I see that fucking lawyer, I'm gonna shove a thousand jalapenos up his ass and make him crawl like a baby while whipping his back."

"Wow…" I chuckled. "You're pretty intense, Aunt Shion."

"Uh-huh." She rolled her eyes again.

"You know, the funny thing is that…uh…I agree with you. I shouldn't be here." I said.

"That makes it easier then." My aunt tucked a wisp of hair behind her left ear. "Out."

"Oh no, no, no." I wagged a finger and she glared again. "I can't go back. It's not my choice anymore. You see, my folks kicked me out of the house when they received the letter from the lawyer last week because I was...uh...slacking around too much and getting fat I guess. I'm currently unemployed right now because I walked out on my last job and the folks weren't exactly happy about that. But hey, I was pretty professional about it at least even if my boss was a total ass. So Mom and Dad thought I should give this landlord thing a shot and maybe it will finally teach me how to become a proper member of society. Whip me into shape or some shit. To be honest, I think they just want me out of the house because I'm getting a little too dependent. So yeah, if I come back then they're gonna freaking kill me and I don't want them to kill me."

"I don't care." She hissed. "And you talk too much."

"Of course." I sighed deeply.

"I think the reason why your parents forced you to accept this responsibility is because they're planning to use you like a fucking puppet and take this place for themselves."

"But why? No offense, but this place is a shit hole. Why would grandma want this place?"

"Oh you should know. Your family's pretty rotten to the core. They don't really care about this place. They just want to get everything now that Souma is gone and…ruin me."

"Ruin you? You mean get back at you or something because of what you and Uncle Souma did and…uh…well I suppose you're right." I looked around and realized the sun has set.

"Glad you agree. Now get the-

"I'm not leaving." I cut her off.

She didn't respond and just continued turning me into goo with those beautiful green eyes of hers. That glare would be heaven if I was a complete masochist, but I'm not so boooooo.

"I'm not leaving." I repeated. "Yeah. I rather be at home right now so I can continue playing my awesome and epic porn games instead of arguing with you, but I'm here now. I'm not leaving this place. This is Uncle Souma's final wish and we should respect his decision no matter how ridiculous it is aaaaaand I can't believe I just said that because I was just doubting and cursing him moments ago because I really don't wanna do this job and so that makes me a complete hypocrite, but like I said, I'm here now. Let's just get on with it and man the fuck up I guess. I have no place to go anyway and my parents don't want me back. Look, you believed in Uncle Souma, right? You trusted his word, right? If what you said a while ago about protecting this place is anything to go by, I'd say you're very devoted to him."

I paused...and she took a deep breath.

"He entrusted this place to me for some reason." I continued. "I know you don't trust me right now and that's pretty understandable, but he trusted me and you should...respect that I suppose. I'm sure he told you all about me at least. I would never betray Uncle Souma. I dunno about grandma and the others, but I'm not here to invade this place and kick you and the others out. I don't really give a shit what they think of you. They're not using me and like hell I'm gonna let them use me and I'm babbling, am I? I'm babbling and I'm probably not making any sense and yeeeeah. Man, what the hell am I saying?"

"Tch." She clicked her tongue. "Idiot." She said under her breath.

"Sooooooo…" I fidgeted while steepling my fingers.

"Fine." She finally conceded. "Get in. I'm gonna prepare dinner soon." Her face softened.

"Dinner would be nice, Aunt Shion. I'm famished." I then bowed. "Please take care of me."

"So your folks think you'll become a fine and upstanding member of society if you become the caretaker here?" She sneered. "Well lemme tell ya something, Arisu-kun." She tilted her head sideways again and I gulped. "There's nothing productive about this particular dorm. You won't learn shit here even if you work your ass off. This place is nothing, but a nest for miserable people who are trying to escape the harsh expectations and pressures of modern society. There's nothing for you here." She said harshly.

"Wow." I let out a nervous chuckle. "That's pretty heavy." I said while stretching my arms and legs. "Aunt Shion, aren't you a little too young to be so…world-weary and cynical?" I joked. "You're, like, 26 years old, right? Turn that frown upside down and be super genki like most girls your age. Helps with the wrinkles I hear. Your hair will also turn white before you reach thirty if you keep up with that grumpy attitude." Ugh. That was just lame, Arisu. Super lame.

"Tch." She clicked her tongue again and kicked my right knee.

"Ow!" I yelped. "Okay, I deserved that."

"Come on." She gestured with her head and invited me inside.

* * *

Wakahisa Dormitory (yeah my uncle has a crummy naming sense) is a three-story building. The kitchen, dining room and bathing facilities are located on the first floor and they're pretty well-maintained, especially the kitchen. The kitchen was all sparkly clean and smelled like fruity fantastic lemon. Aunt Shion is actually doing a great job of keeping this place from falling apart. The dining room was pretty...uh...girly. Pink flowery wallpapers and lots and lots and lots of pictures of stuffed toys and melodramatic landscapes hanging on the walls. As a guy, it was a little too much for me, but it was still somewhat pleasant despite the feminine sensory overload.

The second floor was composed of eight moderately-sized rooms and that's where the tenants stay. Currently, according to my aunt, we have five tenants and they all pay on time and they never complain. That's good to hear. I really don't wanna deal with difficult people because difficult people usually tend to verbally kick my ass with their...uh...difficult verbally powers. My aunt is also staying on the second floor now that Uncle Souma is gone and it's for the best I guess. She can keep an eye on everyone there and is right on the scene if something happens.

The landlord's living quarters are on the third floor and that's where I'm staying. Yep. I got a whole floor all to myself. Yaytifications.

"Here's your place." Aunt Shion led me to my room and then pointed to a bunch of unopened cardboard boxes and luggage in the corner, near the huge window overlooking the backyard. "Oh and your stuff arrived two days ago. I just dumped everything in here." She said as she leaned against the wall and gave me a mean and smug look. "I was tempted to open the boxes and check what kind of crap you got there, but I decided not to because I remembered I'm supposed to be a sweet, sweet person now."

"Oh…" I chuckled. "Thanks." I hope she was just joking because that was just…ugh.

"I was actually planning to burn your stuff tonight to make a point but…" She smiled.

"Noooooooo! Oh no, no, no! Please don't! I-I need those!" I pointed to the boxes and gave her the puppy dog eyes of sadness. "I mean I can just buy cheap clothes anywhere, but not my precious collection! I freaking need those! I need my super high-end master race PC, laptop, tablet, game consoles, Gunpla and everything. Please don't burn them." I pleaded.

"My God…" She grimaced. "You're an otaku." She realized with complete horror. "Well your Uncle Souma is kinda like an otaku too, but he was cool."

"So what if I am?" I scoffed and crossed my arms. "Judge me all you want, but I'm pretty damn proud of myself. I live my life the way I want it to be!" I said with a booming voice and pounded my chest.

"This just keeps getting better and better…" She shook her head. "Geez."

"Anyway…" I fixed the collar of my shirt and bowed my head again. "Thank you very much for this, Aunt Shion. I'm truly thankful for your hospitality." My voice was syrupy sweet and I meant every word.

"Yeah, yeah…" She looked away and blushed.

"Sooooooooooooooo…" I stood up straight again and started looking around. "Where's everyone? I wanna meet the tenants and properly introduce myself. I'm the new landlord so I gotta make a good impression."

She laughed mockingly and poked my chest for the third time. Why does she keep doing that? It's making me uncomfortable. "They're out at the moment. Well except for one and you don't wanna talk to her right now and I won't let you, unless you want your pretty little head rolling on the floor and me laughing like crazy because the idea of me decapitating you with a kitchen knife is the best thing ever." She patted my left cheek and smiled. "The others won't be back until noon tomorrow because they're out partying real hard right now so be a good little boy and just sit tight. Play with your robot toys or something to pass the time. You like robot toys, right? Just like your uncle. Geez. This city is really crazy about those fucking robot toys that it's almost pathetic, but then again, those little things are bringing in the moolah and slowly developing this city so I can't complain."

"R-Right." I fidgeted again.

"Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go and whip up something…mediocre for dinner."

"O-Okay…" Mediocre? She's joking, right? She's messing with me, right?

"Auntie is such a bad cook." She pinched my cheeks again. "As in really lousy! So let's just make do with canned goods and ready-to-eat meals, yes? Hope you don't mind, Arisu-kun."

"N-N-No."

"Excellent." She rubbed her hands. "NOW SIT."

"Yes ma'am!" I sat cross-legged on the floor and clapped my hands like an idiot.

"Goooooood boy." She cooed while patting my head and finally left the room.

Oh boy. I think this place is going to be…hell. Based from what she said, the tenants might be a handful bunch and probably hard to deal with too. Miserable people who are trying to escape the harsh expectations and pressures of modern society? Yeesh. What did I get myself into? I really hope the tenants are normal people and not crazy like my Aunt Shion, but I have a nagging feeling that's not going to be the case. I should prepare for the worst I guess and grit my teeth.

Sullen and tired, I grabbed my backpack and unzipped it while mumbling all kinds of colorful obscenities. I then took out my beloved Gunpla and started cleaning it carefully while thinking of the impending horrors to come and what kind of future I'm gonna expect in this place.

Ah my beloved RX-78XX Gundam Pixie. At least, you're here to keep me company.

The RX-78XX Gundam Pixie first appeared in Cross Dimension 0079, a Gundam tactical role-playing game for the Super Famicom. I only played the emulator version since I can't find a good working copy of the game, and if I did found one it's probably gonna me cost a leg or two so yeah. Emulation for me, baby. Fuck you if you're not cool with that.

The Gundam Pixie isn't very popular with fans and the reason is probably because Katoki Hajime didn't design it. Katoki-san was the shit back during the mid-nineties and his work always gets recognized. Okawara-san was already in decline back then and more and more young mechanical designers have started to pop up to bring in fresh new work for a new generation. It was a new era for the sleek, the slim and the flashy. The bulky designs of the eighties were now obsolete and considered ugly and uncool. That's what I think anyway.

I like the Gundam Pixie. I love the simple design and I've always had a soft spot for obscure mobile suits and the Gundam Pixie was pretty damn obscure. Six out of ten Gundam fans today probably don't even know the unit exists. Poor Gundam Pixie. You'll never get the love you deserve, but at least you got me, buddy. We're partners for life, dude.

Anyhoo, my RX-78XX Gundam Pixie is equipped with a smaller version of the Jet Striker Pack, granting my machine atmospheric flight capabilities and better maneuverability. It was such a pain in the butt making those shoulder hardpoints, but it was so damn worth it in the end. It's also armed with an original beam rifle that I personally designed and made. Okay, maybe I had a little bit of help from some cocky kid named Mii-chan back home. He's a pretty talented Builder and we share the same taste when it comes to galge. I was pretty impressed with his work and I was glad when he helped me out with my machine. I treated him some ramen when we're done and we're like best friends forever after that. He even taught me how to adjust my glasses like a magnificent and awesome bastard. I wonder if he's doing fine and if he's still hanging out with that crazy lesbian. I suppose he's a pretty decent kid, but he can be a little annoying sometimes. Stay strong, fellow glasses dude.

Okay, back to my Gundam Pixie.

I ditched the standard shield and gave it a nice folding shield with beam coating. It's nothing special, but it's good defense. I also removed the beam daggers in favor of actual beam sabers. Sabers are better than daggers. Bigger is better. Unless you wanna be a fucking ninja or something and try to stealth kill the Big Zam from behind. I also got a couple of fragmentation grenades and flashbangs for good measure.

I spent nearly an hour cleaning my Gunpla and then just lazily rolled around on the floor when I was done. I also repeatedly poked my luggage with my pointing finger while imitating Aunt Shion's voice in an exaggerated manner because I'm such a silly, silly boy. Couple more minutes later, my aunt returned and told me that dinner was ready.

Wakahisa Arisu, Gundam Pixie, launching! Fwoooooooooooom!

* * *

Dinner was awkward as expected.

Aunt Shion just heated some canned miso mackerel and cheap tofu. There were also some pickled vegetables from the supermarket and…uh…instant ramen? I guess she wasn't kidding when she said the food is going to be mediocre. This really needs to change. I really need to exercise my power as landlord here and force her to learn the ways of the culinary arts, but I rather not because she'll probably stab me with a knife and send my body back to my family. Piece by piece. So yeah let's quietly eat our food and the get the fuck out fast.

"Sorry." My aunt suddenly said while I struggled to pick up a jiggling tofu with my chopsticks. "You probably thought I was joking or something. I really can't cook."

"It's…fine." I said. "This is not so bad." I lied.

"It's not fine." She said dryly and sighed. "Souma was the one who usually do the cooking. He makes a mean meat and potato stew. He was really a great cook and he really took care of the kitchen."

"Oh." I nodded and twenty minutes later I was done eating. "Thanks for the meal." I said flatly while I picked up my plate and slowly stood up. "I'll just put this in the sink."

"Hey." She suddenly tugged my pants when I passed by her on the way to the kitchen. "Wanna have a couple of drinks before hitting the sack, Arisu-kun?" She looked up to meet my eyes and I gulped. She's inviting me for a drink? No, no, no, no! Bad idea! Bad idea!

"I think I'll pass." I said.

"I bought a couple of high-quality Shochu from Kobe. I also got some whiskey."

(AN: Shochu is a type of Japanese liquor that's a little stronger than wine and regular sake, but weaker than whiskey and vodka.)

"I think I'll pass." I said again.

"Sit your ass down and keep me company until I get plastered, Arisu-kun." She ordered me.

"But…"

"No buts!" She shouted and tugged my pants again.

"Fine, fine…" I sighed. "I'll just put this in the sink and-

"Sit down." She said sharply.

"Yes ma'am." Defeated, I went back to my spot and sat down again while still holding the plate. "Geez. You're pretty hard to deal with, Aunt Shion. Are you like this with Uncle too?"

"Souma handled me pretty well." She giggled and produced three bottles of Shochu with such childish delight. "Now let's drink, my adorable nephew." She poured me a glass and slid it across the table towards me and I quickly caught it with my hand. She then raised the bottle and gave me a distant and lonely look. "Welcome to Wakahisa Dormitory."

I raised my glass too and drank it all in one manly gulp. "Oh sweet eternal fudge." I nearly gagged as I slammed down the glass on the table and slid it back towards my aunt so she can pour me another shot. "This shit is really strong." I said while still wincing.

"You're just a pussy." Aunt Shion bit her lip. "Shochu is really not that strong."

We continued drinking for like almost an hour, saying nothing and just staring at the walls and the ceiling. I stole a couple of uncomfortable glances and she just shook her head every time she caught me, like she's amused and irritated at the same time.

I was about to say something to dispel the awkward and uncomfortable tension, but she beat me to it. "What kind of name is Arisu anyway?" She adjusted her sitting position.

"Huh?"

"Arisu…" She put her hand under her chin as if it were supporting her head. You know, the pose people make when they're bored or something. "Like Alice, right?"

"Yeah." I nodded and smiled nervously. "Arisu is actually the Japanese form for the English name, Alice. Arisu means…uh…_Noble _or _High noble _or something." I explained.

"It's a girly name."

"I'm aware of that."

"Alice."

"Yep."

"Girly name."

"Indeed it is."

"Do you hate it?"

"Oh no." I chuckled. "I'm quite proud of it actually."

"I'm sorry."

"…"

"You sure are fun to tease."

I checked my watch while putting down my glass. "It's getting late." I said.

"Did your grandmother say anything about me before you left home?" She asked out of the blue while playing with her glass. "What about your parents? Your mom and dad? Did they say anything? You know, stuff like how Souma and I…uh…well you know."

"Uh…no. N-Not really."

"Do…you know the names they call me behind my back?"

"Can we not do this? I think you're drunk."

"Whore. Slut. Prostitute. Floozy. Nymphomaniac."

"Aunt Shion, I think we should retire for the night." I said softly. Retire for the night? Oh that's hilarious, Arisu. Real smooth.

"They're right by the way." She chuckled. "I am all of those things."

"Well…uh…you're not like that anymore, right? You've changed. You now got this dorm and you take care of the tenants and-

"Your grandparents, uncles, aunts, your mom, your dad and everyone in your stinking family… They want this place because this is the only memory I have of Souma. This dormitory is what is left of your uncle. This is our special place and they're gonna fucking take it away from me just to prove that they have won. They don't even care that Souma is dead. They don't really care about him. They just want to prove that they're superior. They're also probably gonna make me suffer because I seduced your uncle and shamed your family. I dunno about you, but I think the Wakahisa family is capable of horrible things." She gave me a look that sent a shiver down my spine.

"I wouldn't go that far." I looked away.

"You think?"

"I know gramps and grandma can be terrible sometimes. Believe me I know. But I think Uncle Souma's death is affecting them too. They're proud and stubborn and arrogant and mean, but they're not callous and heartless."

"That's a little too hard to believe, but then again I'm biased."

"Heh."

"You know, sometimes I think they're the ones who killed your uncle."

"Now that's just fucking stupid." I was taken aback. "Please don't say that again."

"This place…this place is a sanctuary for people like me and it's all thanks to your uncle. I will never hand this place to anybody else and I will protect it with my life."

"What about…me?"

"I…I still don't know."

"Aunt Shion, why did Uncle Souma choose me? Why did he make me the new landlord of this place when you're obviously the best choice since you are his wife after all? I mean you're already doing a great job of taking care of this place. I don't see any problems besides the food and the bitchy attitude. Oh and I take back what I said a while ago by the way. This place is not a shit hole after all and I'm sorry I said that. It's actually a pretty cozy and comfy place to live in. This is gonna sound stupid and corny, but I think this is a warm place full of love. Anyway, do you know the reason? Why did he not choose you? Is it a trust issue or something? Did you guys have an argument before he passed away? Please tell me the reason why he chose me. I really need to know because it's driving me nuts."

Aunt Shion laughed. It was a bitter and cynical laugh. It was a pretty damn annoying laugh. It was the kind of laugh that makes me wanna punch magical rainbow puppies. "I would love to know too, Arisu-kun. I didn't know until I saw the will two months ago and believe me I was pretty fucking shocked myself. Felt betrayed even. I pestered the lawyer for almost twenty-four-seven and even threatened to shave his pet cat if he didn't explain."

"Uh…huh."

"Damn that Souma… The hell was he thinking? Well we'll never know." She raised her glass and downed the contents in an instant. "Puhaaaaaaaaaaaa! Alcohol is the best."

"Shit." I cursed under my breath.

Aunt Shion then leaned closer and her expression got all serious. "You know what I think? Souma must have thought you can do a better job of running this place than me. He saw something in you as cliché as it may sound. He severed ties with his family except for you. He never stopped talking to you and never stopped talking about you. You're like a son to him and maybe something even more. He probably saw you as a younger version of himself."

"I guess it could be something like that, but I'm still…I dunno." I chuckled softly.

She laughed hysterically. "Say Arisu-kun…" She leaned even more closely. So close that I could almost see her cleavage and I quickly looked away. "Do you know the story of how we got together? How we met and fell in love?"

"No." I shook my head. "I really don't know the full details. My folks weren't so keen on telling me no matter how much I begged them and Uncle Souma just poked my forehead and called me names every time I asked. All I know you were just a high school kid back then and that's pretty much it."

"Yep. A high school kid. A high school girl who was into enjo kosai." She smiled.

(AN: Enjo kosai means compensated dating. It's a practice where high school or middle school girls date or give sexual favors to old men in exchange for money or stuff. It doesn't always involve sex, but it's still a form of prostitution and a big social problem in Japan.)

"O-Oh…" I'm going to regret listening to this story, am I? Enjo kosai? Should I be surprised? My parents did say Aunt Shion is a bit…uh…wild. Damn. This is heavy stuff.

"Don't gimme that look." She frowned.

"N-No…I…I'm sorry." Oh boy. This is going to be a doozy, but we're already here so bring it. "So why? Why did you do enjo kosai? Were you…uh…you know…lacking…funds?"

"My family wasn't poor or anything. Dad earned enough and we had plenty. We had a roof over our heads and food on the table. They didn't abuse me or anything. My parents were pretty darn boring and mundane to be honest, but they cared for me. I was just a very materialistic girl and I loved the thrill of it. I loved seeing old farts going gaga and crazy over an innocent and nubile high school girl. It was disgusting and amusing at the same time."

"Oh…" I lowered my head.

"I arranged dates via the internet and that's how I met your uncle. During that time, your uncle had just divorced his first wife and just moved to Kasumoto City. We had a very, very sexual relationship and he enjoyed every bit of it."

Ooooookay. This is really getting awkward and uncomfortable. I really wanna bail out now.

"Souma was a frequent client. Maybe because he was slowly falling for me or I really rocked his world or something, but he always kept bugging me almost every week after our first encounter. It was kinda annoying at first since I'm not very fond of repeat clients, but I really didn't mind in the end because he paid really well and bought me a lot of pretty stuff unlike my other scumbag clients. He gave me extra dough too for allowance and treated me to a lot of fancy restaurants. Little by little, I got to know him better and found him to be an interesting and likable person. He was passionate, patient and extremely hilarious. He was a jerk sometimes, but I loved that part of him too."

Darn right. That's Uncle Souma alright.

"One day, a client threatened me with a knife because I refused to do it in front of his friend. Your uncle happened to be in the area and he beat the guy up. I was thankful of course and offered free sex as a reward, but he declined my offer. You know what he did instead?"

"Patted your head like a puppy?"

"…"

"I jest, I jest."

She cleared her throat and continued her tale. "He told me to quit what I was doing and asked me out. He asked me to become his lover and stay with him. He promised he'll take care of me and buy me loads of stuff."

"Sounds like an awesome deal. Did you accept? Of course you did. You're here after all."

"I kicked him in the balls and stole his wallet."

"Time paradox!" I shouted.

Aunt Shion ignored me. "He kept following me around and six months later…I…I gave up. I just gave up and leapt into his arms. Just like that. Nothing fairy tale-like. Nothing dramatic. Just like that. The end."

"N-No regrets?"

"No regrets!" She shouted and raised both of her arms like she was praising something. "We abandoned our families afterwards and started a new life here. We bought this building after saving enough cash and turned it into a dormitory. Everyday was bliss until he was killed…" Her eyes started tearing up. "Until…"

"Aunt Shion…" I raised my hand and tried to reach for her, but quickly pulled it away.

"Do you…feel sorry for me?" She asked as she wiped her eyes.

But before I could answer, she suddenly drank half a bottle of Shochu, crawled towards my direction like a spider and kissed me on the lips after grabbing me by the collar!

Holy fucking shit! What the hell just happened!? What the hell is going on!? I could feel her tongue exploring the insides of my mouth and…she's making me…drink the alcohol…in her mouth…I…oh crap! Holy crap! This is bad! This is fucking bad!

"What the hell are you doing!?" I finally found the strength to push her away, but I then…slowly and gently kissed her back and…and…and…everything just went all fuzzy.

Why did I…? What am I…?"

Oh shit.

* * *

My head was throbbing like crazy when I woke up. I felt like shit. I felt like hammered shit. It was like a Zeon commando unit just entered my head via my ears and nostrils and started punching and kicking my brain because Zeonism was fucking crazy like that. Then they started planting explosives and Ensign Bernie Wiseman suddenly…

What the hell am I talking about?

What the hell just happened?

Did I just…

Did I…

Did Aunt Shion…

Wait…

Am I lying on the floor or something? Feels really cold and damp and…fuck. Oh man, that Shochu really kicked my ass.

I checked my watch while yawning to see that it was already four in the morning. I then quickly sat up after my brain finally registered the time and slowly looked down to check my body since I was feeling kinda chilly and somewhat…vulnerable.

Huh.

I'm naked.

No wonder I was feeling kinda-OH MY GOD! I'M NAKED! I'M FUCKING NAKED! WHY AM I FUCKING NAKED!?

Did I…

Did I actually…

I did...

I did, didn't I?

I fucking fucked my step-aunt!

"Not bad for a virgin." Aunt Shion rolled over to my side and she was naked too. Her sexy 26 year old body in full glory. "Oh my head is freaking killing me. I think we overdid it."

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEE!" I screamed like a hysterical school girl on fire.

"Shut-up!" My aunt kicked me, but I kept on screaming. "My head is killing me! Stop screaming, you nincompoop. I know getting your cherry popped is a big deal, but-

"I am so not a virgin!" I pointed to her.

"No shit." She spread her arms after sitting up to reveal her perky breasts. "Congratulations. You're a man now, Arisu-kun."

"No, no, no, no, no!" I shook my head. "I already…oh Goddammit! What have I done!?"

"You slept with me, ex-cherry boy." She stretched her arms and tilted her head sideways.

"I slept with my aunt!"

"We're not…really related by blood or anything, you know." She reminded me. "Oh and don't worry. Today or yesterday was a safe day so no biggie."

"Uncle Souma is…"

"Oh I'm sure he'll be okay with it. Besides, it's you. He wouldn't mind since it's you and plus, a dead man can't get jealous."

"Then…I…uh…that's fucked-up."

"Oh and don't get any funny ideas just because…we…I was loyal to Souma! I never did it with another man when we were married. I loved him. I loved him so much. Arisu-kun, you're the first man I slept with after his death and-

"I…I'm going out!" I quickly put on my clothes and ran like the dickens.

"W-W-Waaaait!"

* * *

What should I do now? I…I can't go back! I can't face her! I…oh my God. Why did I do that? What the hell is wrong with me? Why did I sleep with her? Was it the alcohol? Of course! It has to be the fucking alcohol! Shochu is fucking evil, man. Fucking evil I tells ya. I should have stopped her when she was lip locking me, but…I…I gave in! I gave in to the temptation and did something so shameful and unforgivable and stupid and really, really stupid. Should I go back home? What should I tell Mom and Dad? They're gonna skin me alive if I told them I boinked my step-aunt because I was kinda drunk and her lips felt good and her tongue and everything. Oh and Uncle Souma! I'm sorry I touched your wife, Uncle Souma! I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry-

PONK!

Oh cripes. I was going crazy with guilt and shame that I didn't realize I was walking into a lamp post. Ouch. I fixed and adjusted my glasses and looked around to check the area. I just started walking and walking and walking while I was having a major meltdown when I left the dormitory. I had no particular direction in mind and now I think I'm lost. Again.

Wait…

This place looks familiar...

Is this the shopping district? Yeah! It is the shopping district. I passed by that cake shop yesterday and I remember that vending machine over there. This place is deserted though. Where's everyone? A shopping district should be like super busy and super noisy and stuff. Oh right. It's like four in the morning. Of course, it's going to be deserted. Silly me. I think I'm not fully awake yet and not to mention this killer headache.

"Hey dumbass." Someone suddenly said. "You okay? You totally look out of it."

"H-Huh!?" I swung my head in the direction of the voice and found a dark-haired foreigner squatting in front of a closed hobby shop. He was wearing a white hoodie and slurping instant ramen like there's no tomorrow. Next to him was a Gunpla. It was the RX-99 Neo Gundam from the Silhouette Formula 91 manga. Glad to see another guy who's into obscure mobile suits like me. I totally would love chat with him, but I'm pretty freaked out right now. Plus, he looked really shady and shit. He'll probably mug me or something if I approached him. I gotta get the hell out of here! I need to move!

"You okay?" He asked again in perfect Japanese.

"I…I'm fine!" I said and bowed my head. "I'm gotta go now!" I said and ran. "Bye!" I shouted in English while waving goodbye.

"Fucking weirdo." The foreigner shook his head in amusement and continued eating.

* * *

I found a twenty-four hour arcade center and reluctantly took refuge there. Thankfully, the place wasn't that crowded and tight. Nothing but a bunch of young punks and delinquents killing time since it was the wee hours of the morning. I found the beep-booping sounds, reckless clacking of buttons and the screeching screams of the rebellious youth somewhat comforting and soothing. I leaned against the wall, next to a poster of some old fighting game that I vaguely recognize, and finally calmed down. My hands were still shaking like crazy, but I was slowly gaining my composure and was thinking straight again.

How am I gonna face Aunt Shion now? She was acting like nothing happened and was pretty nonchalant about it. That actually scares me. How could she do that and not think about the consequences? Maybe my parents were right about her and...

No.

I...should go back but...

Not like this.

I need to face this though. I need to face this like a man and take responsibility. I should have a good talk with her, but I need to relax first. Maybe I should play some video games or something. Oh I know! Gunpla Battle! I'm sure there's a battle system around here somewhere since it's a freaking arcade and it's Kasumoto City and all. I wouldn't be surprised if the coffee shops around here have a battle system or two. Gunpla is the way of life here in Kasumoto City and Gunpla brings in the ka-ching ka-ching. Oh crap. I left my Gunpla at the dormitory. Should go back and get it? Hah! Like hell. I think I'll just watch a couple of matches and skidaddle when I'm feeling ready to face the music.

Finding the battle table was easy because it was smack-dab in the middle of the arcade center. Two people were using it and the match was nearing its end. A gloomy-looking kid with messy hair and dark bags under his eyes was the one winning and his customized white and grey MSZ-006 Zeta Gundam was totally in control of the match. His opponent, a big bald guy with numerous piercing on his face, grimaced with frustration while trying to find an opening to regain advantage, but it was already too late. The bald guy didn't see the Zeta Gundam coming from above and his AMX-009 Dreissen was sliced in half. Kaboom.

"Battle ended." The computerized voice announced and I clapped my hands.

"You cheating son of a bitch!" The bald guy suddenly grabbed the kid's right arm and pulled him closer. "I'm gonna fucking rip your head off, you fucking little-

"Hey, hey, hey, hey." I interrupted. "What gives? He won fair and square, man. He didn't cheat. How can you even cheat? You just need to accept your loss and git gud, son."

"Fuck off. This ain't your business, four-eyes." He spat.

I tilted my head and adjusted my glasses. "I don't normally stick my nose into other people's affairs, but I just can't ignore something that is so blatantly wrong and stupid. The kid won fair and square. Any idiot could see that. What the fuck is wrong with you, baldy?"

"Losing to this piece of shit…is the most embarrassing thing ever." The bald guy said.

"Embarrassing? What's there to be embarrassed about? The kid's actually good. You're taking this a little too hard, man. You need to relax."

"You're new here, aren't you?" The bald guy crossed his arms. "I could tell. You got that brand new smell."

"I got what now?" I scratched my head.

"Fumi-san here is mentally sick." The bald guy pushed the kid away and he stumbled down like a rag doll.

"Mentally sick?" I narrowed my eyes.

"As in mental? He's fucking retarded." The bald guy laughed. "Sick in the head."

"Is…that true?" I turned to Fumi for confirmation.

Fumi stood up and dusted himself. "It's not a mental problem. It's more like a social problem. I'm not crazy or retarded." He mumbled. "I'm…getting better now."

"Fuck you, Fumi." The bald guy laughed again. "You ain't getting better. You're still fucking retarded to me. Shit. I can't believe I lost to you. I can't believe I lost to this shit."

"Hey man…" I walked over to the bald guy and pointed at him. "That's not cool."

"You wanna get it on, four-eyes?" The bald guy's smile disappeared. "You wanna die? You want me to shove those glasses up your ass or something and rip your balls off-

"Kinky." I chuckled. "Sorry, man. I don't swing that way." I mocked.

"You fucking asshole!" He lunged at me and I was prepared to do the fisticuffs dance. Not that I have a lick of chance of winning though, but a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do yo.

"STOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOPUUUUUU!" Someone suddenly screamed and we both turned our heads to see a short young woman with short wavy hair and a face full of freckles jumping around and waving her arms like a freaking maniac. She was probably an employee since she was wearing a purple uniform and a weird hat. "No fighting! You wanna get down and dirty then take it outside and don't bother the other customers. You wanna fight like real men then fire up the battle system again. This is Kasumoto City, you idiots! We settle things with Gunpla Battle."

"That's…actually a pretty good idea." The bald guy snickered and pulled out another Gunpla. It was a customized GAT-01A1 Dagger from SEED MSV. It was equipped with the Aile Striker Pack and armed with the Gundam X Divider's beam machine gun, but with a bitching wicked scope and other bells and whistles. The shield was new and probably an original design.

"I would love to, but I don't have a Gunpla with me right now." Gah! I hope I didn't sound like a coward. Should I run back to the dormitory and get Pixie?

"Not a problem." The bald guy snickered again and produced another Gunpla. It was a MSA-005K Guncannon Detector from Zeta MSV. It looked like a standard vanilla built, no modifications or extra new weapons or anything. It'll do I guess.

"Wow." I chuckled. "You sure have a lot of Gunpla with you."

"This is Kasumoto City, fuck face. Gunpla is ammunition here." He said proudly. "So we ready to rumble, four-eyes?" He handed the Guncannon Detector to me.

"Let's do it then." I nodded and smiled.

That day…

Five weeks before Iori Sei meets Reiji…

Months before the start of the Seventh Gunpla Battle World Championship…

Four days before Tachibana Isamu meets Vincent Harvey…

Weeks before Kamijou Akira encounter the mysterious Satsuki Akame…

Wakahisa Arisu's own messed-up wonderland was about to begin. The battles to come, the people he will meet and befriend, the rivals he will face with unrelenting determination, the women he will protect and cherish and the mystery of his uncle's death...

Arisu's life was just about to get a little interesting.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTES:**

And here it is! My second Gundam Build Fighters fanfic which is also a spin-off to Moving Forward.

As you can see, Arisu in Wonderland is a little more...uh...mature? Nah. That's not the word I'm looking for. It's...uh...more seinen I guess? I dunno! Let's just say that this story will be touching some more sensitive and taboo subjects compared to Moving Forward. I'm afraid that might turn off some people and I'm sorry for that, but I'm still going for it because I really wanna tell this story. It's not going to be all gritty and edgy and shit like that. It'll still be lighthearted, quirky and funny like Moving Forward. The characters will still be dorky underdogs like Isamu and his gang. But yeah. It'll feature some really...uh...sensitive stuff. I won't make light of them of course and they'll be very important for character interaction and development.

I also used a lot of manga and other works for inspiration like Onani Master Kurosawa, Molester Man, Aku no Hana, the extremely terrible Velvet Kiss, Mon Seul, all of Masahiro Itosugi's train-wrecky works, a little bit of School Days and other unintentionally hilarious eroges and a shitload of ero-manga.

Yeah lol. I just hope I won't go too far with this.

Anyhoo! Did anyone watched the last episode of Gundam Unicorn? Oh man, it sure ended kinda weird. I didn't hate it, but they could have added more. The Newtype stuff was really bizarre, but then again, Newtype stuff is always bizarre and weird. The animation and action though was pure smex. The animation was just really freaking beautiful and the mecha porn was glorious as always. Oh well, Unicorn is now over and I feel a bit sad. But hey, there's Origin, Tomino's new Gundam and the second season of Build Fighters to look forward to so it's all good I guess.

Well I hope you all will enjoy this new story and be sure to post reviews. Thanks!


	2. Chapter 2

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN GUNDAM

**CHAPTER TWO**

**"YOU DON'T LOSE TO FUMI!"**

"Please set your GP base." The battle table's familiar and monotone voice filled my ears after the female employee restarted the battle system. The bald guy crossed his meaty arms and cocked his head towards me while smirking evilly. God, this guy is such a thug. Frowning and clenching my jaw, I placed the GP base into the slot and it lit up as bright blue letters revealed the basic information of my Gunpla. I tried to calm myself so I can properly focus on the upcoming fight, but my mind was then suddenly bombarded by images of my naked and laughing step-aunt. The shock was still fresh and it's totally screwing with my concentration. Why do I have this nagging feeling that she's going to haunt my dreams forever? It's like she's taunting me.

"Not looking too hot, are you? I bet you're regretting this now." Baldy licked his lips and tapped the battle table with his fingers.

"Of course not." I groaned and let out a miserable sigh. "It's nothing really. Just a touch of hangover. It'll pass."

"If you say so." He continued smiling. "I don't care anyway. As long as I beat and humiliate your ass."

"Beginning Plavsky Particle dispersal." The blue holographic monitor screens and the yellow control orbs finally appeared. I double-checked the control panel in front of me and the surrounding screens to make sure everything was all-green and in good working condition. "Field Two, Desert." The computerized voice announced our place of battle and the Plavsky Particles wasted no time in giving shape to our awaited arena. The field was a lonely and desolate place. It was an endless sea of sand, dry rocks and dilapidated buildings for cover. The terrain was somewhat uneven and harsh as expected, but it wasn't really much of a problem unless you're a beginner or a complete moron. I'm not exactly world-class here, but I think I'm skilled enough to work this field to my advantage. Well I hope anyway. Everything is fair game so far and I'm ready to rumble. I got plenty of steam and frustration to let off anyway.

The computerized voice then asked us to place our Gunpla on the battle table and we did so without a word. I fidgeted nervously during the scanning process and quickly grabbed the control orbs while counting one to ten. It's been a while since I last battled and the suspense is getting to me. "Wakahisa Arisu, Guncannon Detector, ready for battle!" I cried out hoarsely after the system announced the start of the match and my Gunpla launched from the holographic catapult. The sand shifted when my machine landed on the ground and I quickly raised the beam rifle as I scanned the area, looking for any good spots to mount my attack or any potential cover.

"Let's fucking do this, fuckers!" Baldy screamed like a guy on steroids as he launched his Gunpla and did a few aerial maneuvers first to get his blood pumping before landing in front of me. Is this guy hopped up on something? Oh man, last thing I need is a druggie with anger problems.

"Yo." My Guncannon Detector waved its free hand. "Heh. Looking good there, buddy."

"The fuck? Your name is Alice?" Baldy laughed. "Your fucking name is Alice? Holy fucking shit, dude."

"A-RI-SUUU." I corrected, pressing my lips together. "It's different from Alice and totally not girly at all."

"Your name is Alice!" He ignored me and laughed louder while clapping like an idiot. "Out-fucking-standing! Dude, your parents must hate you or something."

"It's ARISU! AH-RI-SUUUUUU!" I stomped my feet and baldy just snorted derisively.

"Is this a Kamille Bidan moment?" Fumi whispered behind me. "Are you going to punch his face now?"

"I'm not gonna punch his face and make this guy my undying rival or something. I so don't need that right now. I got plenty of shit to deal with already." I chuckled bitterly. "Anyway, let's get this party started!"

"Let's fucking go, Alice!" The Aile Striker Pack's high-powered thrusters roared when the Dagger launched itself into the sky and baldy howled like a freaking maniac. The Gunpla did a mid-air backflip before landing behind me and I quickly boosted to the left to dodge the incoming rounds from the customized beam machine gun. The Gundam X Divider's beam machine gun was a pretty sorely underrated weapon if you ask me, nobody really appreciated how truly frightening the thing was. It has twice the firepower and twice the firing rate, since it was originally a battleship-grade weapon in the official setting. That thing could tear any vanilla Gunpla to shreds in mere seconds and the Guncannon Detector doesn't exactly have any decent defensive equipment so I'm totally fucked if I got hit by that thing. Baldy cursed and the Dagger flew again so it can charge downwards towards my position with the beam machine gun still fixed on me. I boosted to the left again and fired my beam rifle this time, but baldy quickly spun around as he lowered his gun and raised his shield to block my shots effortlessly. I jumped back and fired again while moving backwards and the Dagger countered my attacks once again as it landed on the ground. Throwing hesitation out of the window, I blindly charged forward at full speed after a running start and shoulder-tackled the Gunpla, staggering it completely. I then quickly followed with a fierce punch to the face that cracked the visor with the Guncannon Detector's free hand and the Dagger was down for the count, but it was still moving. "Asshole..." Baldy smiled widely as he tried to get up.

Baldy was still sitting up when he suddenly pulled out one of his beam sabers and lunged at me for a quick swipe across the neck, but I managed to avoid decapitation by ducking in time. I then jumped back again as I lifted the Guncannon Detector's head and retaliated by firing the Gunpla's right shoulder-mounted beam gun, but the Dagger leaned farther to the left to dodge the beam rounds, with only a shoulder getting scratched. I quickly moved sideways as I fired the beam rifle again, but baldy raised his shield in time to block all incoming shots while slowly standing up. I continued firing like crazy as I moved away to gain some breathing space between us and when I emptied the beam rifle's clip, baldy used that chance to fly again while I reloaded my weapon. I then hopped like a frog to avoid beam rounds from above and knelt on one knee after landing near a dead tree as I unleashed the power of my Gunpla's beam cannons. I raised the barrels high and fired away with reckless abandon, hoping to overwhelm him with continuous fire. The firing rate of the beam cannons is pretty high compared to the original Guncannon thanks to the cooling vents on the back which kept the guns from overheating. The satisfying hiss escaping from the back as I continued to bombard the annoying bald fly hovering above me was uber delightful to hear. It made my heart beat faster and a wide grin was now plastered on my face. The pounding noise of the cannons was just exhilirating.

Still, even with the high firing rate, the beam cannons couldn't land a hit because the A1 Dagger managed to time the shots and moved in an erratic but somewhat precise weaving pattern. "Crap!" I cried out when baldy managed to find an opening and dove in as he fired his beam machine gun, hitting one of the Guncannon Detector's beam cannons and destroying it completely. A few complicated flips and somersaults later, baldy fired his weapon again while hovering upside down like he was Kira Yamato or something. He then followed with a few bursts from his vulcan guns and another dose of the beam machine gun for good measure. I quickly ceased firing and skittered away to avoid the incoming rain of beams and bullets. Without missing a beat, he dove in again while I tried to take cover from behind a huge boulder and kicked my Gunpla hard, sending it flying towards a crumbling building that looked like an old large airplane hangar. The four-story building collapsed like a pack of cards when my Gunpla made contact and I was buried immediately. "This guy...is...really..." My eyes twitched and I felt like screaming. This guy is kicking my ass and making me look bad at the same time.

"I got you there." Baldy snickered. "Time to finish this!" He whipped out his beam saber again and charged. He twirled it like a marching baton while running and quickly picked up speed as he prepared to stab me in the cockpit.

"Don't get all gung-ho yet, you prick." I managed to raise my beam rifle while still buried in the rubble and fired the grenade launcher attached below the barrel of the weapon, hoping to hit the Dagger right in the face because I am so miffed right now and people who are righteously miffed tend to aim at faces. "Eat this!"

"Goddammit." He hissed as he avoided the incoming grenade and I fired the grenade launcher for a second time before he could react. He couldn't dodge this time, so he just blocked the second grenade with his shield and the impact of the explosion pushed him back, almost losing his balance. "You son of a bitch..."

I finally managed to dig myself out and fired my remaining beam cannon, but baldy quickly jumped out of the away to avoid the blast that could obliterate his Gunpla in one hit. I then moved towards his position and fired the beam rifle four times and a grenade for that final exclamation point. "How do you like that?" I smiled.

It must be because I was moving at full speed while firing or maybe because I was getting rusty after not playing in so long due to reasons I don't feel like sharing, but none of my shots hit him after all that aggressive badass shooting. Frustrated and slowly getting anxious, I fired my weapon again and still got the same results. Shit. He was just moving too fast and as if like he can read the movements. I guess this guy ain't all talk after all, but I guess I should expect all citizens of Kasumoto City to be this crazy good when it comes to Gunpla Battle. This is their lifeblood after all and it'll be embarrassing if an upstart outsider like him whooped their butts on their own turf. While I was carelessly preoccupied with my own thoughts, baldy used the Aile Striker Pack's thrusters to jump and landed on my right. I quickly dashed sideways while firing my shoulder-mounted beam gun and nearly collided with another building like a rank amateur. God, this is really freaking embarrassing. Baldy charged at full speed to give chase while avoiding my beam rounds with his well-executed twists and turns. He then boosted up and fired his gun in mid-air, but he wasn't aiming at my Gunpla. He was aiming at the ground next to my machine and a cloud of dust enveloped me, messing with my visibility. He then landed behind my Gunpla and fired his weapon at point-blank range, destroying my remaining beam cannon. "Hahahahahahaha! Now comes the good and juicy part." He stuck his tongue out in a very obscene manner.

"Fuck, fuck, fuckitty fuck!" I panicked and quickly turned around as I swung the Guncannon Detector's free arm, hoping that I could punch my way out of this mess, but it was a bad call on my part and became my undoing. Baldy blocked the approaching fist with his shield and the arm bounced back, the shoulder joint nearly popping out due to the force. The Dagger swung its shield again and repeatedly bash my Gunpla's head, smashing and denting the plastic like clay being molded. He then swung it upward like an uppercut after he was done slapping me around like a bitch and the Guncannon Detector got lifted off its feet after getting hit in the chin and landed on its back. Baldy followed with a straight kick to the face when I tried to get up and repeatedly stomped the head, reducing it to nothing but plastic pieces. I fired the beam rifle without bothering to aim, but baldy was expecting it and quickly dropped his shield after dodging the beam round and sliced the gun in half with his beam saber. The gun exploded, taking the hand with it. All but one of my weapons are now gone and I was done for. I have no choice, but to concede and go out with dignity. I took a deep breath and spoke the words as I closed my eyes. "I surrender." I said with clenched fists and flushed cheeks. "I surrender." I repeated and felt like crying. "Damn it. This is just the worst." I moaned. "I fucked up real bad here."

"Battle ended." The computerized voice announced and the A1 Dagger took a few step backs to admire its beautiful handiwork. The Guncannon Detector was a mess and could barely get up. That was just pathetic. This is one of my worst fights ever.

"Aaaaaand that's that." Baldy said proudly. "I fucked you good, son. Fucked you so good." He giggled.

"Eeew." I grimaced.

"Fuck you, four-eyes." He gave me the finger and I just shrugged.

I turned to Fumi and smiled bitterly. "I'm sorry, man. He done me in fair and square. I tried."

"It's alright." He pretended to be okay, but his disappointment was painfully obvious and couldn't hide it very well. He must have realized that I noticed and just lowered his head in shame. "Sorry." He mumbled.

"So...what now?" I frowned when I turned my attention back to baldy.

"What do you mean what now?" He scratched his chin and stroked it.

"What happens now?" I remained on guard and defiant. I'm prepared for the worst, baby.

"What happens now? I laugh at you and go home. Gwahahahahahahahaha! There! Well time to fuck off, kiddies!" He flexed his muscles.

"That...that's it?" I made a confused expression. "Well...I..."

"That's it. I beaten your ass and I feel satisfied now. I showed you what's up so I ain't mad anymore." He then pointed to the female employee and gestured with his chin. "I beat his ass, right? That makes this mess closed and finished, eh?"

"That was beautiful. Well done." The female employee gave him the thumbs up.

I was flabbergasted. I was expecting this guy to beat me and Fumi to bloody pulps after kicking my ass in Gunpla Battle. Come to think of it, why am I expecting that? I mean we didn't even bet on anything or agreed to force the loser to participate in a penalty game after the match. We just fought to see who was the better Fighter and...uh...he was the better Fighter. I guess my mind is a little warped right now. I mean I did bang my step-aunt not too long ago and ran screaming into the night. That shit does things to your mind, man. Life is nothing like ero-manga I'm afraid. I felt guilty for expecting such things and for stereotyping him like that because he looks like a typical meathead, but then I quickly reminded myself that he nearly punched a defenseless kid a few moments ago because he was a sore loser. So yeah, I think I have every right to expect the worse from this guy. First impressions last, buddy. First impressions last.

"What?" Baldy chuckled and shrugged his shoulders. "You expecting a beat down after this? I'm not a thug even if I do look the part so don't give me that look. Do you think I'm that petty?"

"Yes." I answered without hesitation and pointed to Fumi.

"Well...uh...you see..." He scratched his head as he tried to find the best words to say. "He's...different."

"Different?" I raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean different?"

"It's Fumi for fuck's sakes! You don't lose to Fumi! He's..."

"Fumi is a person, you shithead. I dunno what the hell is wrong with him, but that was a legit win. And you know that. You're not stupid. Are you stupid? You know damn well that was a legit win and you can't accept it because...uh...because he's...I dunno! Ah fuck! The point is that you don't need to be a fucking bully and acknowledge his win regardless of what other people say about him. You're an adult! You should know that."

He was quiet for a moment and was in deep thought. He then sighed deeply as he closed his eyes and opened them again when walked up to me. I grew tense and was ready to dodge a punch, but he just patted my shoulder and flashed a crooked smile. "Okay I apologize. Humiliation and anger got the best of me." He turned his head to give Fumi an apologetic look and the kid just nodded while looking away. "I'm sorry. I went too far and acted like an ass."

"G-Good. That's good. Mighty mature of you."

He then suddenly grabbed my right hand and shook it vigorously. "Arai Kunihiko." He introduced himself. "Just call me Kuni." Man, I thought he was gonna break my fingers or something. I nearly wet my pants there.

"Wakahisa ARISU. Just call me Arisu. Not Alice. It's Arisu. AH-RI-SU."

"Sure thing, Alice." He smiled mischievously. "I got it."

"Whatever." I said.

"You're not bad, Alice. We should fight again. What are you using right now if you don't mind me asking?"

"An RX-78XX Gundam Pixie." I answered with a proud smirk.

"A Pixie? That's pretty rare! Cross Dimension, Hooligans or Missing Link?"

"I was actually planning to get the Hooligans version, but decided to go for the original instead."

"I want you to use that when we battle again and make sure you're one hundred percent next time, man. It felt like you were a little out of it when we were fighting. It didn't feel right. Also, you look like somebody just ran over your beloved pet dog and humped it's corpse while making fun of your sexuality and your mom's hoo-ha."

"Yeeeah well...I kinda suddenly fucked my step-aunt after a night of drinking and now I'm having a meltdown. Was having a meltdown." I said with a straight face and pocketed my hands. Huh. I just realized I forgot to put on my underwear. Crap.

"What did you say? You fucked your aunt?" Kuni gasped and Fumi's eyes widened.

"Hahahahahahaha! Got you!" I pointed and laugh. "That was a joke, man. A joke."

"Dude, that was just so random and messed-up. It ain't funny." Kuni frowned and Fumi nodded in agreement.

"Lighten up. An inappropriate joke or two won't hurt you."

"Yeah. Whatever." He shrugged. "You two fuckers enjoy your morning. I have to go now."

"See you around, Kuni."

"Laters, Alice." He patted my shoulder again and playfully punched Fumi's arm. "Sorry again." He said.

"He wasn't so bad." I said after he left and Fumi stood next to me. "He just needs to fix that temper of his."

"Arai-san is a member of Banken, you know." Fumi said softly.

"Banken?"

"You really are new in town." Fumi sighed.

"I just got here yesterday. Anyway, what's this Banken thing you're talking about? Some sort of police or military force? Kasumoto City's own private army or something?"

(AC: Banken literally means watch or guard dog in Japanese. That's why Arisu thought it was a name of a military unit.)

"No." Fumi shook his head and smiled. "It's a gang. A street gang. It's led by a woman named Noruka."

"A street gang? You mean Kuni is a member of those Gunpla youth cliques I keep hearing about?"

"Uh-huh." He nodded. "Banken. One of the oldest and biggest gangs in town, dating back from the eighties."

"Are they dangerous? Do they, like, mug people using Gunpla or something?"

"What? No! I mean, how could you even do that? How can you mug people with Gunpla?"

"You...uh...you can use the pointy parts. Like you can use the Sword Strike's anti-ship sword to threaten to poke people's eyes out if they don't hand their wallets or watches or something. Or you can even throw a fistful of bits!"

"Dude. The fuck?" Fumi gave me a look. The look that you give to people when they act like their brain just jumped out of their skulls after calling it quits so they could embark on a journey of self-discovery. That look.

"It could happen, man. It could happen." I wagged a finger.

"Whatever. Anyway, Banken is not dangerous. They're just a little rowdy, but they're okay people overall. The cops don't really pay much attention to them. They're actually...kinda decent to be honest."

"Oh..."

"You know what's funny? Their current leader, Noruka, was actually a former elementary school teacher."

"That...that is funny. Now she leads a gang that plays with robot toys. Fucking hilarious."

"Oh...right." Fumi pounded his fist into his palm. "How rude of me. I forgot to properly introduce myself. Damn it. I guess I still have much to learn. Anyway, my name is Anami Fumimaro." He bowed his head. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Wakahisa-san, and thank for you for standing up for me. I appreciate it. Really I do."

"O-O-Oh not at all. I just couldn't handle seeing him badmouth you like that and he was about to mess your face. Well it's good to meet you too, Anami-san." I bowed too.

"Please call me Fumi." He finally raised his head. "That's what everybody calls me."

"Then you can call me Arisu." I smiled and then my stomach suddenly growled. "Ugh. I think I need breakfast. A big breakfast. Preferably with lots of protein because this fucking hangover is killing me."

"I'm feeling peckish myself. C'mon I'll treat you." Fumi beckoned with his head and pointed to the door.

"Y-You sure?"

"Of course. You helped me out. It's the least I could do."

"Yay."

* * *

We decided to grab breakfast at a convenience store near a residential area since it was five in the morning and no decent restaurant was open for business yet. Fumi said there was a good 24 hour gyoza place next to the arcade center, but it closed down two months ago when the owner moved to Singapore. What a shame. Gyoza would be hella awesome right now and I could gobble dozens thanks to this blasted hangover. Well I have no choice but to settle for ready-to-eat convenience store boxed lunches. They're not so bad and they cycle through new flavors at a weekly basis so there's some variety. In fact, Japanese convenience stores these days put a lot of effort into their boxed lunches. They're above decent and you could have a great meal for a cheap prize. Anyway, I bought a fried pork cutlet meal set with green onion sauce. The rice was topped with dried anchovy bits, fried garlic and bonito flakes. Hot damn! Breakfast of champions! This boxed lunch is way much better than that crap Aunt Shion fed me last night. Ugh. The chilled jiggling tofu she served me was still giving me nightmares and I shudder every time I think about it. I don't wanna sound mean or anything, but me and my whole family kinda have high standards when it comes to anything culinary, because the whole Wakahisa line are involved in the cooking industry. My dad is a popular chef who studied in France and Germany and my mom is a master practitioner of Kaiseki-style cuisine. I'm no slouch myself, my cooking skills are almost pro level and I could make a grown man cry with my delectable creations of goodness. It sounds like I'm bragging, but I'm not. It's the whole gosh darn truth.

(AC: Keiseki-style cuisine is, like, the ultimate in Japanese cuisine. Think gourmet or haute cuisine.)

We went outside and sat near the entrance, next to a bunch of noisy kids who look like middle schoolers. They were smoking and drinking soda, talking about the latest fashion trends and music and whatever teenagers talk about these days. They didn't pay much attention to us and we tried to enjoy our food in peace. Fumi just bought a vegetable sandwich and iced coffee. I guess he's a light eater or something. I also grabbed five candy bars and some honey-roasted peanuts for dessert. "So what's the deal with you, Fumi?" I asked after splitting my wooden disposable chopsticks.

"What's the deal with me?"

"You know what I'm talking about, dude."

"Why Arai-san went all crazy when he lost to me?"

"I don't really wanna be nosy at first, but I'm really curious now after seeing Kuni act like that. It's okay if you don't wanna share. You have every right after all, but I sure would appreciate it if you humor me." I chuckled.

Fumi closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry. I...look just forget about it, okay? Pretend I didn't ask."

"It's okay." He smiled. "I don't mind talking about it. It's part of the recovery process after all."

"Recovery process?"

"I'm a hikkimori. Well I was a hikkimori."

"Okay. You're right. That's not a mental problem, it's more of a social problem."

"The reason is because...well...I'm suffering from Anthrophobia. I fear people. I hate crowds. When I'm near to people, I just panic. As in really panic. I freak out really bad. I just go crazy and scream like a maniac."

"Well...you seem to be doing pretty well now. I mean we're outside with strangers and you're pretty calm."

"Yeah. I'm recovering. I think I'm recovering. I still freak out sometimes, but I'm doing pretty well these days."

"So why do you fear people, Fumi?"

"You see, I got bullied back in high school. It was really bad. The whole class was involved. Mostly everyone was in it and they treated me like their plaything everyday. The rest just watched, afraid to take a stand because they don't wanna suffer the same fate. Thinking about it now, I guess I can't blame them. I'd probably do the same if I was in their shoes. Anyway, I tried to stand up to them, but it didn't work. My parents tried to do something about it, but that didn't work either. The teachers and rest of the staff, believe it or not, ignored the whole thing because they were more worried about their jobs and reputation. They don't want the other parents to hear any kind of news about bullying and just kept a lid on it. They don't want the school's image to be ruined and are afraid to save face and deal whatever crap that happens when something like this gets out. I then transferred to a different school to escape that hell, but the damage was already done. I couldn't trust people anymore and I just snapped one day and stopped going to school. I was so terrified. I just couldn't face other people anymore. I was afraid they'll hate me and I don't wanna embarrass them with my presence."

"Kinda like TKS then?" I said under my breath and sighed.

(AC: TKS or Taijin Kyofusho is a social phobia in Japan characterized by fear of offending others.)

"Yeah." He nodded.

"So how did you manage to overcome it?" I asked and then drank my juice.

"A friend helped me out. A former classmate from my old school who felt bad and guilty for not doing anything when the whole class treated me like shit. He's not here anymore. He and his family moved to America last year. We still mail each other and he sends me cool stuff sometimes. I think he's planning to visit soon."

"Oh. That's...nice."

"The first time I stepped out of the house after two years of isolation was...it was the worst. Probably one of the worst days of my life. I felt like my throat was being choked by an invisible force as I walked the streets and people were staring and whispering while pointing to the sweaty, skinny guy with the messy hair and uncontrollable shakes, but I pressed on when I remembered my friend's words. I managed to calm down when I entered a hobby shop. I met this nice girl and we chatted for a while. I tried to avoid her at first, but she persisted and before I knew we hit it off. For the first time after so long, I felt human again. I felt complete and loved. And then she invited me to a match of Gunpla Battle and I agreed. The first few minutes were awesome, but then a huge crowd suddenly appeared out of nowhere. Lots of big time professional Fighters and Builders were present and they were watching our match. Arai-san was there too. I didn't know why they all decided to congregate at that place that day, I was probably just really unlucky or something. The pressure of being watched by a bunch of established Gunpla pros was just too much for me and..."

"You freaked out." I said flatly.

"I started crying like a baby. I was bawling my eyes out and was screaming for my mom. I even soiled my pants. I think I cried for two hours and then passed out. I woke up in the hospital afterwards."

"And now you got this nasty reputation and people don't respect you even if you got the skills."

"Uh-huh."

"And yet you endured and now you're here with me! We even made that bald bastard apologize to you."

"He didn't mean it, but I appreciated it anyway."

"What happened to that nice girl you met?"

"Never saw her again."

"Fumi, you're a pretty strong guy." I patted his shoulder. "Something like this would probably destroy me completely yet you still endure. You're a lot stronger than you think, man."

"Am I? I still get panic attacks, you know. Last week I found myself crying next to a dumpster behind the bakery in the shopping district. Don't ask."

"At least you're doing something about it and you can talk to strangers now. You're improving! You're talking to me!"

"Heh." He lowered his head and chuckled. "I guess you're right."

"Okay, that's enough for now. This is just too depressing. Thanks for sharing your story, Fumi."

"No problem."

"Now let's see that Zeta Gundam!" I squealed.

"What? Oh! Sure!" He opened his backpack and took it out. "Here you go." He handed it to me.

"Very nice." I said after studying it for a full minute. "The leg thrusters are slightly different and it has a new weapon mounted on the back. Wait. Is this the DOM Trooper's Giga-launcher thingy? You completely modified it, removing the physical bazooka and turning the whole thing into a full-fledged beam cannon."

"It's hand-carried too." He added.

"Shit."

"You can mount it on the bottom when in Waverider mode. It can also fire charged shots like the Virtue's GN bazooka, but it needs to cool down for thirty seconds after every three charged shots."

"Wowzers. This is a pretty sweet weapon you got here, Fumi. Oh and you removed the grenade launchers on the forearms and replaced them with mini-gatling guns. Do these things fire physical or beam rounds?"

"Beam." He answered. "They can do a moderate amount of damage, but they're dangerous up close."

"I'm impressed." I handed the Gunpla back to him and he put it inside his bag again.

"Show me your Pixie Gundam next time." He said after finally taking a bite out of his sandwich. "Maybe we could even have a match and see whose Gunpla is better."

"No problem. Looking forward to it, but go easy on me, champ." I said and stuffed my mouth full of fried pork.

"Not a chance." He laughed.

We then ate quietly for fifteen minutes, just enjoying the sounds and sights of the early morning as people began to leave their homes to go to work or school. The kids next to us finally left, laughing while taking selfies and pointing out the most stupidest things as they walked away.

"Hey Fumi...uh..." I broke the silence and gave him a worried look.

"W-What? Something the matter?"

"C-Can we hang out some more after this? I...uh...I don't wanna go home yet." I chuckled nervously and shifted uncomfortably.

"S-Sure. Uh...did something happened if you don't mind me asking? You look kinda upset."

"I kinda fucked my aunt." I said with a straight face again.

"W-What!? Dude, not that shit again. That joke ain't funny, man."

"Hahahahahaha! Yeah! You're right. It's all a joke. A big fucking joke." I gulped and shoveled more food.

"Arisu, you're seriously freaking me out." Fumi finished his sandwich and drank his iced coffee.

"I was in the middle of a break down when I saw you guys. What am I gonna do now, Fumi? I fucked up."

"D-Dude...did you really..." Fumi turned pale and held up a shaking finger.

"J-J-Just Wild Beat Communication! I stand here and being pounded by the rain! I want to express this unfading passion with my entire body TONIGHT!" I suddenly started singing loudly while my eyes twitched.

"W-Why are you singing Gundam Wing's first opening theme?" Fumi slowly slid away.

"Is it...Just Wild Beat or Just One Beat? I don't know anymore! Aunt Shion, what have I done!?" I cried.

"Oh my God!" Fumi screamed in English.

"Ehehe..." Someone suddenly giggled and the two of us turned our heads to see a young girl standing in front of us. She was tall and looked kinda foreign, probably of mixed race. Her hair was red and fiery and was tied into a single braided pigtail. Her eyes were wide and big and her inhuman pupils made us pause like statues. I don't know if her eye color is natural or she was probably wearing fancy colored contacts, but her eyes were frighteningly beautiful. We just can't help but stare at them with our mouths gaping wide open like idiots. It was like she was hypnotizing us or something. There was also that creeping sense of dread for some reason and it made us both very uncomfortable, but hid our uncertainty with fake and disarming smiles. Well I did anyway. Fumi just covered his face with his hands and continued shaking. Her clothes were kinda strange too, as if like she was cosplaying or something. She was wearing a black suit for men with a white shirt underneath and a striped tie. Her black pants looked expensive and her Italian leather shoes were so shiny that you could eat off them. Is she some sort of business woman or something? Maybe a bodyguard? Or maybe she was one of those Takarazuka Revue gals since she's wearing men's clothing? "Ehehe.." She giggled again and we gulped.

(AC: Takarazuka Revue is an all-female theater troupe in Japan. Some of them crossdress and play male roles.)

"Can I help you?" I asked, but she didn't reply. I glanced at Fumi and saw he was shaking.

"M-Maybe...she doesn't understand Japanese." Fumi tugged my shirt.

"Right." I cleared my throat and took a deep breath. "Hello." I said in English and waved my hand, but she just tilted her head sideways and continued staring.

"M-M-Maybe she doesn't understand English. She could be from Europe or something." Fumi said.

"Crap. What a pain..." I scratched my head.

"You two are so cute." She finally spoke and in perfect Japanese.

"Cute?" Fumi raised an eyebrow and looked at me. I just shrugged and sighed.

"Tell me..." She put a finger over her mouth. "Are you two having fun?"

"Huh? Fun?" I grimaced and gave her a confused look.

"Are you two having fun?" She repeated the question.

"I...I guess...we're having fun right now." I answered and furrowed my brow.

"Y-Yeah. We're having fun." Fumi added while nodding.

"Good." She smiled and we both blushed. "Well bye-bye!" She waved goodbye like a child and ran.

Fumi and I just sat there and were silent for five minutes, trying to process what the fuck just happened. Who the hell was that girl and what's her deal? I mean, geez. "Well...that sure was strange." I finally spoke.

"Kasumoto City sure is full of whackos these days. Ever since this city became Kansai's Gunpla haven, we've been getting a lot of weird foreigners and they're causing a lot of ruckus. Last week, there's this Filipino guy named Muffin or something who got caught stealing lingerie because he claimed the ghost of a female centaur knight told him to because it was his destiny and if he stole enough he'll get to ride her as a reward. Man, they ripped his passport to shreds and totally deported his ass in a heartbeat. Yeeeesh. I mean I gotta admit it this place is developing pretty fast thanks to PPSE, but it's not all pretty. We're getting some bad stuff too."

"Man, I wanna ride a female centaur too. That would be so cool." I said while steepling my fingers.

"..."

"Ahem! Well let's get the heck out of here! I'm full now and feeling a bit better." I stood up and smiled.

"Where to then?" He sighed and also stood up.

"Anywhere but home." I said.

"And where is home, anyway? Where do you live, Arisu?"

"Karamorita district. You know that big building near Hayakaba Pharmacy? That one. That's where I live."

"Wait, isn't that a dormitory? I hear the owner got killed last year and-

"C'mon! Let's move out, Ensign Fumi! Let's go have some fun, fun, fun!" I then ran like a maniac.

"H-Hey! Wait up, Arisu!" He ran after me.

I spent the whole morning checking out the sights with Fumi being my guide. He showed me all of Kasumoto City's famous attractions and tourists spots. He got a little queasy when we went to crowded places, but I tried my best to keep him occupied and made him forget about his phobia for a while by dragging him around everywhere and acting like a total man-child. Little by little, he started to have fun too and didn't mind the hordes of clueless foreign tourists and chatty locals anymore. We even went to a large flea market near the harbor and he did well enough to dodge the mobs of shoppers and obnoxious merchants while keeping his sanity in check. We then went to a famous curry house to grab some lunch around noon and resumed after journey after a one hour nap in the park. My hangover was completely gone when I woke up and I felt refreshed.

We checked all the popular hobby shops during the afternoon. Kasumoto City has this one big district where it's all nothing but Gunpla shops and Gundam-themed restaurants. It was like Akihabara, but everything is exclusively catered to Gundam fans and Gunpla enthusiasts. For a hardcore Gundam maniac like me, it was paradise. Maybe I should drop the whole landlord shtick, find a job somewhere, stay here in this district and forget all about Aunt Shion. It was sooooo tempting. I could do it, you know. I could come back to the dorm, give my aunt the one finger salute, grab my things and get the fuck out of there and never look back. I'll even forget about my parents and their pettiness and just stay here and enjoy the hell out of my life. I mean I'm a single 22 year old guy! I'm in my prime! I should be enjoying life for fuck's sakes!

But...

Ah fuck! Fucking fuck. This better be worth it, Uncle Souma. I dunno why you chose me as your successor, but this better be worth it. Please be worth it.

I stopped thinking about my problems for a while and enjoyed the rest of my day with Fumi. We watched a couple of Gunpla Battle matches, teased a bunch of female Gundam cosplayers, ate a crapload of junk food, sang Gundam songs out in the open like we're the only ones there and even met a couple of famous Gundam voice actors! I mean it was just a fucking blast! One of the best days ever, I tells ya. Of course the fun had to stop when I parted ways with Fumi around dusk and I had no choice but to go back to the dorm. Go back to bitter old Aunt Shion and face the consequences of my action. God help me. Oh man...

* * *

I returned home around eight in the evening and tried to sneak back to my room without getting spotted, but Aunt Shion suddenly appeared from behind like a fucking ghost before I could even step inside the building and mercilessly dragged me into the dining room with one hand while cackling like a B-movie villain. Holy crap! She's pretty fucking strong! She didn't even break a sweat and I'm taller than the average Japanese male. Is she even human? She threw me on the floor like a ragged doll and planted her right foot on my chest while smiling sadistically. "Welcome back, my cute nephew." She licked her lips like a hungry wolf and I shuddered.

"I...I'm back..." I chuckled nervously and gulped. "Sorry I'm late."

"Is this the guy?" Someone suddenly said and I looked up. Five girls were seated around the dining table and they were eating cake. The cake looked really good, it was something a professional patisserie would make.

"Yep." Aunt Shion nodded.

"Oh you have guests!" I said and tried to get my aunt's foot off my chest with both hands, but she was like a rock and wouldn't budge an inch. "Look, just get off me and I'll scurry back to my room and won't bother you guys. I'm tired and wanna hit the sack."

"Guests? You didn't tell him, did you, Shion-san?" One of the girls said as she chewed.

"Hahahaha! I wanna see the look on his face when he finds out for himself." My aunt laughed.

"Brutal as always, Anego." The girl smiled and ate more cake.

"Aunt Shion, what's going on here?"

She finally removed her foot and helped me stand up. She then put her arm around my shoulders and I trembled like a child being cornered by an angry parent after getting caught doing something naughty. "Girls, this fine young lad here is my nephew. His name is Wakahisa Arisu and he's going to be the new owner and landlord of Wakahisa Dormitory." She said proudly, but her tone had this obvious hint of mockery and sarcasm. Of course, there was mockery and sarcasm. It's Aunt Shion for crap's sakes.

"N-Nice to meet you." I waved. "Please take care of me." I then bowed. "W-Wait..."

"Hm?"

"You mean these girls are the tenants? Just girls?"

"Yes. Is there a problem?"

"T-T-Then this is an all-girls dormitory?" I was horrified, but at the same time I was also excited. "Uncle Souma didn't say anything about managing an all-girls dormitory."

"No, this is not an all-girls dormitory." Aunt Shion grinned. "We had male tenants before. It just so happens all the tenants staying here right now are girls. We haven't had a male tenant for, like, four years straight now."

"What? Why? How? No! This can't be true!" I took a step back and held up a hand. "You're...fucking with me. You're totally fucking with me, Aunt Shion. You just called up your friends and decided to mess with me. You're just doing this so you can just chase me away or something. Am I right? Right? I'm right, right?"

"Feh. I can't believe this idiot is our new landlord. Is this really Souma-san's nephew?" One of the girls sneered while glaring at me. It felt like daggers just pierced my body and she was twisting the handles.

"W-What the fuck is this, Aunt Shion? Is this some sort of sick joke? You want me to manage a dorm with nothing but female tenants? Young female tenants!? Do you think this is some sort of harem anime? I don't think it's right for a guy like me living under one roof with six women. It ain't right. It's inappropriate. People are gonna talk and I don't want that to happen. How did Uncle Souma manage this place? I mean what the hell, Aunt Shion!?"

"He managed it just FINE." She suddenly grabbed the collar of my shirt and head butted me. "Well if you don't want this job then feel free to fuck off by all means. We'd totally love that." She cackled.

"I...I..." I was on the verge of tears. I can't believe this is happening. I can't fucking believe it. I want to go home, but my parents will kill me if I did. If I stay here, then...aaaaaaargh! This is just fucking insane!

"What a weak man." The girl who sneered at me said and wiped her mouth with a napkin.

"I can't believe you let this loser touch your body, Shion-san." Another girl said. She looked like a high schooler with a long black hime-cut hairstyle and cheek-length sidelocks.

"W-What did you say?" My eyes widened.

"Oh right. The girls already know what happened between us last night." Aunt Shion said nonchalantly, like our little tryst was nothing special. She then walked up to the girl with the hime-cut hairstyle and cuddled her from behind like a baby. "Manami-chan here saw us when she went down to grab a drink and she watched the whole thing. You enjoyed the show, right? You did, right?" She patted Manami's head and the girl frowned, but didn't say anything. Aunt Shion just laughed and hugged her tightly.

"So...she was the one who stayed home when the others..." Oh man, I think I'm gonna puke here.

"You are such a pig." A tall girl with brown shoulder-length hair approached me from the left and flashed a wide smile that's a little bright and cheerful. She was really pretty and stylish too, like a model. She had this confident aura around her and it was almost seductive. Her voice had a somewhat rude and rough tone and I could tell this girl likes to take control of the situation. A real aggressive go-getter. "Your first day here and you're already pulling down your pants and enjoying the all-you-can-eat smorgasbord." She said with such mischievous delight. It didn't felt like she was berating me, it was more like she was completely amused and intrigued.

"I...No! Aunt Shion was drunk and she..." I turned pale and the girl with the brown hair laughed so hard that she clutched her sides. My stomach lurched and I covered my mouth with my hand. Oh God...

"Go introduce yourselves, girls." Aunt Shion pulled up a chair, sat down and crossed her legs. The hime-cut girl served her a slice of cake and carefully poured her a cup of tea. She also added lime and a spoonful of sugar. "C'mon! No need to be shy now." She laughed again.

"Me first!" The girl with the brown shoulder-length hair said and shook my sweaty hand. "Enatsu Konoe. Nice to meet you, Arisu-kun. Do take care of me." First name basis already? Well I guess I won't be expecting any respect here then. Aunt Shion is still in control and I'm landlord in name only. Shit. What a fine mess this is.

"Yutani Manami." Hime-cut said as she stood up. "Thanks for the meal." She lowered her gaze and left.

"My name is Matsubara Mayumi." The girl who sneered at me said and frowned. She had long purple hair tied into a ponytail with a pink string ribbon. Her expensive clothing and snobby, but polite way of speaking suggests a rich and sheltered upbringing. She was a teenager like Manami, probably the same age too. This one is definitely a spoiled princess, there's no doubt about that. I wonder why she's staying here and not in some big mansion. Maybe I should ask Aunt Shion about it and hope she's willing to share her story. I mean I'm the landlord so I should know more about my tenants, right? It's my right after all. "I'll be honest with you, Arisu-san. I don't like you." Mayumi said sharply as she crossed her arms and cocked her head. "Just like Shion-san, I would like you to leave this place as soon as possible. I have a feeling you're only going to be trouble after finally seeing your stupid and pathetic face. We don't need someone like you here so please leave."

Wow. I just shook my head and shrugged my shoulders.

"Orihara Chizuru here." A skinny girl with short dark hair raised her hand. She must be around my age or younger, probably a college student. She had this indifferent look on her face when she studied me intently and then smirked after finishing her food. "Well I'm outta here." She said as she stood up. "Just leave everything in the sink, I'll wash them later. Nice meeting you, Arisu-kun." She patted my shoulder before leaving. Well...at least she was...uh...normal. Oh God, I hope she's normal. Please let her be normal.

And finally the last girl. "Nitta Isumi." She was an older-looking woman with long, wavy hair and she was also wearing glasses like me. She was probably an OL or something. I wonder if she's older than Aunt Shion or maybe they're the same age. "I don't really care if you're the new landlord to be honest. Just do your job and don't bother me then maybe we'll get along. Maybe." She chuckled bitterly and drank her tea.

"So what do you think?" Aunt Shion raised an eyebrow.

"I think you're all planning to kill me in my sleep." I said coldly and dismissively waved my hand. Aunt Shion laughed again and nearly choke. Mayumi clenched her jaw and continued glaring. Konoe returned to her seat and laughed along with my step-aunt like they're the best of pals. Isumi continued eating and ignored our existence as she focused on her phone. I then left without saying anything and quickly went to my room. I could still hear Aunt Shion laughing in my head. Ugh. What did I do to deserve this? I can't manage this dorm. I can't manage these kinds of tenants. This is fucked-up.

Later that night, I started unpacking my things. Aunt Shion knocked on my door and asked if I wanted some cake. I told her that I'm not hungry and she just laughed. I think I also heard Konoe's voice too and I groaned miserably. These girls are so gonna torture me. Maybe if I worked hard enough and showed them I'm not such a bad guy after all then maybe they'll change their minds about me. Would that work? I doubt it. This isn't some romcom or galge, there are no flags to raise here or events to unlock. There's nothing. Nothing but misery. I opened the third box and a photograph fell on the floor after pulling out a bunch of old magazines. I picked it up after wiping my brow and my face sagged and felt like crying again. It was a picture of me and Mii-chan. It was taken around seven months ago after we beat a bunch of morons from Khushrenada High at Gunpla Battle. Minaguchi Keiko was also there and so was Masachika Griselda, sole daughter of Masachika Kimiko and heir to the powerful Masachika Group. I didn't hang out with them that much, but we got along just fine. Keiko was a little crazy, but she was a nice person and Griselda can be a little over-the-top sometimes with her Miss Justice gimmick, but she was a passionate person who truly loved Gunpla Battle. I miss them already. I wanna go home. I couldn't take this place anymore. Damn it...

I suddenly got a text from Fumi, asking if I wanna hang out with him again tomorrow. I replied yes without hesitation and he was happy with my answer. He said that there's this one place he wanna show me tomorrow and he was pretty excited about it. Fumi is a good kid. Probably the only decent person I met so far here in Kasumoto City. I sure hope he recovers from his phobia, he doesn't deserve all of that crap. The least I could do is be his friend and make him forget the awful shit he experienced and make new memories. I stopped sorting all of my crap and sat on the floor. I then started to wonder if the girls here loved my Uncle Souma. Maybe that's the reason why they're so hostile to me. Maybe they can't accept his sudden death. Maybe they can't accept the fact that someone from his family, the very same family that ostracized him, came to take over his work instead of Aunt Shion. If that's the case, then I kinda understand where they're coming from. Still, that's no excuse to treat me like puke. There's also that thing with Aunt Shion. That's entirely my fault though. I have no choice but to have a good heart-to-heart with her sometime.

Yeeeesh.

I wonder what's gonna happen next?

* * *

Later...

Around one in the morning...

Arai Kunihiko ran.

He ran as fast as he could.

He ran until his lungs and throat started to burn.

Two of his best underlings followed him from behind, but they were starting to slow down. Unlike him, they were slightly chubby and totally out of shape. They weren't physically fit like him. They didn't follow a strict exercise regiment like him or counted calorie intakes. They were dumb and undisciplined, but they were loyal and honorable. He couldn't ask for better companions. The Banken were his only family now and he will make damn sure that these two young boys will get to safety even at the cost of his life. He was the strict big brother everyone looked up to and Kunihiko loved maintaining that image. He'll die before anything happens to these two morons. "Aniki, just who the fuck were those guys?" One of them said while panting.

"That girl... Did you see that girl's eyes?" The other one whimpered.

"Just keep running, you fuckheads!" Kuni cried out. "Just keep running!"

"Aniki, that red-haired girl was fucking terrifying, man. I don't think she's human!"

"Shut-up! Just keep running!" Thunder shook the sky as it started to rain hard. "Fuck!" He nearly tripped after bumping into a parked bicycle in front of the station near the shopping district, but he quickly regained his balance and continued running. "We gotta tell Noruka about this! She needs to know! She needs to know that Prophecy Nine is real! They're not a myth and they're here to take over!"

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTES:**

And here's the second chapter of Arisu in Wonderland. Sorry if I was kinda late. I got distracted by video games and bought a bunch of books. Anyway, we finally got to know Fumi and he's going to be Arisu's best friend and wingman. We also finally met the tenants and they are going to make Arisu's life a living hell. But thankfully, Arisu is not a spineless git unlike a certain ronin who wants get into Tokyo University. He's not serious and rational like Isamu, he has his own brand of wackiness and charm, and he'll use those to make the girls of Wakahisa Dormitory to look at him in a new light. So yeah, prepare for some harem trope lampshading and other craziness.

Well I hope y'all enjoyed this chapter and please post reviews. If you got any questions, criticisms, ideas, suggestions or anything then feel free to PM me.


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